Shed Some Light: Actionable Tools and Strategies for Leaders to Thrive in the Modern World of Work

Stephen "Shed" Shedletzky
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“Shed Some Light” equips current and aspiring leaders with the clarity, skills and tools needed to navigate today’s workplace challenges. Host and author of “Speak-Up Culture,” Stephen “Shed” Shedletzky, who spent a decade with Simon Sinek as Chief of Staff and leader of the global speakers’ team, explores what leadership means, what holds people back, and how to lead effectively in the modern world.

  1. 1 day ago

    How Servant Leadership Can Derail with Kristen Hadeed

    Great leadership is often framed as putting other people first. But what happens when caring for everyone else means losing yourself in the process? Stephen “Shed” Shedletzky sits down with Kristen Hadeed, entrepreneur, leadership speaker, and author of Human Leadership: The Courage to Face Ourselves and Each Other and Permission to Screw Up. Kristen’s work explores what it means to lead with greater honesty, self-awareness, courage, and connection, especially when caring for others starts to come at the expense of yourself. Together, they explore why leading others starts with learning to lead yourself. They unpack the limiting beliefs that quietly shape our decisions, why avoiding hard conversations can weaken trust, and how vulnerability, honesty, boundaries, and self-awareness can help leaders care deeply for others without losing themselves in the process. You’ll hear: Why putting everyone else’s needs first can hurt you, your team, and the work.How limiting beliefs can shape the way leaders handle feedback, conflict, and change.Why avoiding difficult conversations can damage the very trust you are trying to protect.How vulnerability, honesty, and transparency become more useful when they come with context and purpose. This episode is for anyone who wants to care deeply for the people they lead without losing themselves in the process. More about Overcoming the Beliefs that Hold You Back: https://kristenhadeed.gumroad.com/l/McxJR?layout=profile Check out Kristen’s new book, Human Leadership: https://www.kristenhadeed.com/humanleadershipbook In this episode we also referenced: • Emotional Agility with Susan David: https://www.susandavid.com/book/ • Tim Spiker’s work on inwardly sound and others focused: https://www.theaperio.com/tim-spiker • The Having Hard (and Worthwhile) Conversations episode of Shed Some Light from Season 1: https://youtu.be/gYV69qFidGc?si=4G_Rqas1nPq-QelX. For more leadership insights from Shed, subscribe to the Shed Some Light Substack at https://shedinspires.com/podcast. If this episode was helpful, you can download the free tools and resources we reference here — and across the podcast — at https://shedinspires.gumroad.com. Follow Shed on Socials: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenshedletzky/ https://www.tiktok.com/@shedinspires https://www.instagram.com/shedinspires/ https://youtube.com/@ShedInspires

    How Servant Leadership Can Derail with Kristen Hadeed

  2. 21 Oct ·  Bonus

    5 Things Zach Mercurio Taught Me About Mattering at Work | Shed Some Light

    What does it actually take to make someone feel they matter? And what can leaders do differently, starting with their very next conversation? We've pulled together some of the best moments from our Shed Some Light S2E2 Podcast conversation with Zach Mercurio, author of "The Power of Mattering", into an 8-minute highlight reel. From a surprising leadership lesson involving a bonsai tree 🌳 to the eight seconds it can take to make someone feel valued, Zach shares incredibly practical ways to help people feel seen, heard, and needed. You'll hear: • The difference between caring *about* people and actually caring FOR them. • Three questions every leadership team should ask themselves each week. • How eight seconds can make someone feel that they and their work matters. • Why employee engagement starts with meaningfulness, safety, and support. • How to lead through your next interaction, even without a leadership title. Whether you lead a team or simply want to have a more positive impact on the people around you, these are ideas you can put into practice today. Want to go deeper? Watch the full conversation with Zach Mercurio on Shed Some Light: https://youtu.be/E_DAEAJYlss. For more leadership insights from Shed, subscribe to the Shed Some Light Substack at shedinspires.com/podcast. If this episode was helpful, you can download the free tools and resources we reference here — and across the podcast — at shedinspires.gumroad.com. Follow Shed on Socials: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenshedletzky/ https://www.tiktok.com/@shedinspires https://www.instagram.com/shedinspires/ https://youtube.com/@ShedInspires

  3. 14 Oct

    Why Great Leaders Ask Questions Before Giving Answers with Michael Bungay Stanier

    We’re wired to jump in with answers. But what if better leadership starts with staying curious a little longer? Stephen “Shed” Shedletzky sits down with Michael Bungay Stanier, bestselling author of The Coaching Habit, to explore how curiosity can change the way leaders ask questions, build trust, and help people think for themselves. Michael’s work on coaching, leadership, curiosity, and the “Advice Monster” has helped leaders around the world stay curious longer and rush to advice more slowly. Together, they unpack why advice can sometimes get in the way of good leadership, how to create safer conversations, and what it means to stay human in the age of AI. You’ll hear: Why effective leaders don’t need to have all of the answers.How asking better questions can build trust, autonomy, and confidence.Why leaders should build the habit of asking questions first and speaking last.How curiosity, human connection, and courage matter even more as AI changes the workplace. This episode is for anyone trying to lead people better, build stronger relationships, or create a workplace where others feel safe enough to speak, think aloud, and contribute. For the resources mentioned in this episode, check out: The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace: https://appreciationatwork.com/ More about MBS’s TERA Quotient: How to Empower Others as a Radically Human Leader: https://www.mbs.works/empowering-others/ Leadership That Gets Results (HBR): Daniel Goleman, HBR, March-April 2000: https://hbr.org/2000/03/leadership-that-gets-results More about Michael and his work at https://www.mbs.works/ The Coaching Habit: https://www.mbs.works/coaching-habit-book/ For more leadership insights from Shed, subscribe to the Shed Some Light Substack at https://shedinspires.com/podcast. If this episode was helpful, you can download the free tools and resources we reference here — and across the podcast — at https://shedinspires.gumroad.com. Follow Shed on Socials: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenshedletzky/ https://www.tiktok.com/@shedinspires https://www.instagram.com/shedinspires/ https://youtube.com/@ShedInspires

    Why Great Leaders Ask Questions Before Giving Answers with Michael Bungay Stanier

  4. 30 Sept

    Leadership Is an Occupation, Not a Promotion with Zach Mercurio

    Leadership is not just about getting results. It’s about how you make people feel while getting there. When people feel seen, heard, valued, and needed, they are more likely to trust, contribute, and speak up. Stephen “Shed” Shedletzky and keynote speaker, author and mattering researcher Zach Mercurio explore why relationships are at the heart of effective leadership, and how small moments can shape culture. They unpack the idea of “articulated intention,” the balance between support and challenge, and how leaders can turn good intentions into everyday behaviors. You’ll hear: • Why leadership should be treated as an occupation with real skills, behaviors, and standards. • How helping people feel that they matter can create stronger trust and a culture where people speak up. • The difference between meaningful support and coddling people. • Simple ways to notice, affirm, and support people without adding more meetings to your calendar. This episode is for anyone who wants to lead people better, whether they have a leadership title or not. Find more about Zach Mercurio’s work and books at https://www.zachmercurio.com/ and read more about the inception of his mattering work at https://www.zachmercurio.com/2023/10/the-cost-of-not-mattering-at-work/. For more leadership insights from Shed, subscribe to the Shed Some Light Substack at https://shedinspires.com/podcast If this episode was helpful, you can download the free tools and resources we reference here — and across the podcast — at https://shedinspires.gumroad.com. Follow Shed on Socials: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephenshedletzky/ https://www.tiktok.com/@shedinspires https://www.instagram.com/shedinspires/ https://youtube.com/@ShedInspires

    Leadership Is an Occupation, Not a Promotion with Zach Mercurio

  5. 5 May

    You Asked, We Answered: Real Leadership Questions From Our Listeners

    Leadership doesn’t end with answers. Sometimes the most powerful thing a leader can do is ask better questions. In this Season 1 finale, Shed and David open the mailbag and respond to thoughtful questions from listeners on trust, burnout, psychological safety, AI, coaching, and culture. It’s a grounded conversation about what leadership really looks like when things get messy, human, and real at work. You’ll hear: • Why culture can guide behavior, but leadership still needs to evolve with people and context. • How trust breaks down in survival-mode teams and what it takes to reset before burnout deepens. • Why psychological safety & a speak-up culture are essential for innovation, experimentation, and creative risk-taking. • Practical thoughts on AI, coaching mindsets, feedback, and measuring the health of a workplace culture. For anyone leading people, building culture, or trying to create a workplace where trust, growth, and honest conversations can thrive. If this episode was helpful, you can download the free tools and resources we reference here — and across the podcast — at shedinspires.gumroad.com. NY Times Article we reference: Link here. Michael Bungay Stanier's book we reference here: https://www.mbs.works/coaching-habit-book/.

    You Asked, We Answered: Real Leadership Questions From Our Listeners

  6. 21 Apr

    How to Have Hard (and Worthwhile) Conversations

    We all have conversations we avoid or hesitate to initiate. Not because we don’t care—simply because we're human. Stephen and David unpack what it really takes to lead hard, vulnerable & worthwhile conversations at work and in life. They walk through a simple, practical framework to help you decide if a conversation is worth having—and how to have it in a way that builds trust, not damage. This is about leading people with honesty, even when it feels uncomfortable. You’ll hear: • A clear, step-by-step way to prepare for and start difficult conversations. • How to tell if speaking up is worth it—even when it feels like a risk. • Simple “can openers” that make hard conversations more human and collaborative. • What to do when emotions rise, or when the conversation doesn’t go as planned. This episode is for anyone navigating real moments of workplace leadership—giving feedback, speaking up, or trying to build a healthier culture with others. If this episode was helpful, you can download the free tools and resources we reference here — and across the podcast — at shedinspires.gumroad.com. Sometimes, one of the tricky places is where and how to start. One of the most powerful conversation openers we’ve learned is from David Spinks. Check it out in his Substack post here: “Can I say something imperfectly?” https://davidspinks.substack.com/p/say-it-imperfectly. Find all of the Shed Some Light episodes and resources at https://shedinspires.com/podcast.

    How to Have Hard (and Worthwhile) Conversations

  7. 7 Apr

    Feedback on How You're Giving Feedback with Dr. Liane Davey

    Feedback gets a bad wrap. Mostly because we’re not using the tool well or properly. Shed and David sit down with Dr. Liane Davey to unpack what feedback really is — and what it isn’t – and when and how to use it well. They explore why most of what we call “feedback” is just judgment, why leaders overuse it, and how to choose the right tool at the right time when leading people. You’ll hear: A clear & useful definition for feedback as information about impact. Why feedback is only one tool in your leadership toolkit (alongside many others, like instruction, coaching, advice, evaluation & more). How the “Strike Zone” makes feedback safer, more specific, and useful. Play ball! ⚾️ A simple & powerful feedback model – the FBI (Feeling, Behavior, Impact) – that turns monologue into meaningful and productive dialogue that builds trust. This episode is for anyone navigating workplace leadership — whether you’re managing a team, working with peers & across functions, or trying to grow your own influence while building trust and healthy cultures. If this episode was helpful, you can download the free tools and resources we reference here — and across the podcast — at shedinspires.gumroad.com.

    Feedback on How You're Giving Feedback with Dr. Liane Davey

  8. 24 Mar

    Workplace Culture is Like a Pickle Jar. What’s in Your Brine? or The Culture Equation

    Ever notice how the same person can thrive in one workplace and shrink in another? Maybe it’s not the person. Maybe it’s the environment. 🤔 Shed and David unpack a simple but powerful idea: culture shapes behavior. Exploring how culture is like a “pickle jar” and a clear culture equation, they unpack how values, behavior, and influence combine to create healthy—or toxic—workplaces. This conversation brings clarity to what culture really means and how leaders can build it on purpose. You’ll hear: Why culture equals values multiplied by behavior, raised to the power of influence, aka the culture equation – Culture = (Values x Behavior) ^ Influence. The difference between a strong culture and a healthy one—and why healthy matters more. How middle managers influence trust and decision-making in multiple directions. Practical questions to define your culture through real stories, not just posters on a wall. This episode is for anyone leading people—or hoping to—who wants to build a culture rooted in trust, clarity, and positive influence. If this episode was helpful, you can download the free tools and resources we reference here — and across the podcast — at shedinspires.gumroad.com.

    Workplace Culture is Like a Pickle Jar. What’s in Your Brine? or The Culture Equation
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“Shed Some Light” equips current and aspiring leaders with the clarity, skills and tools needed to navigate today’s workplace challenges. Host and author of “Speak-Up Culture,” Stephen “Shed” Shedletzky, who spent a decade with Simon Sinek as Chief of Staff and leader of the global speakers’ team, explores what leadership means, what holds people back, and how to lead effectively in the modern world.

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